A Baptist and proud of it!

Menu

Category Archives: Literature

“Your blurb will be an important part of your marketing. It is vital to get a reader’s attention. To write a good blurb, you have to make it short. Cut out sub-plots. Add tension to make it dramatic. Try not to mention more than two character’s names, and promise your audience a read they won’t forget.

I’ve come up with this easy acronym to help you create a blurb. I call it SCOPE. Follow these five pointers and see if it works for you.

SettingConflictObjectivePossible SolutionEmotional Promise

Setting: All stories involve characters who are in a certain setting at a certain time.

Conflict: A good story places these characters in a situation where they have to act or react. A good way to start this part of your blurb is with the words: But, However, Until

Objective: What do your characters need to do?

Possible Solution: Offer the reader hope here. Show them how the protagonist can overcome. Give them a reason to pick up the book. Use the word ‘If’ here.

Emotional Promise: Tell them how the book will make them feel. This sets the mood for your reader.

I saw The Edge of Tomorrow today, and I decided to write a blurb using this formula.

Example:

London. The near future. Aliens have invaded Earth and colonised Europe. Major William Cage is a PR expert for the US Army, which is working with the British to prevent the invaders from crossing the English Channel. Battle after battle is lost until an unexpected victory gives humanity hope.

But the enemy is invincible. A planned push into Europe fails and Cage finds himself in a war he has no way to fight, and he is killed. However, he wakes up, rebooted back a day every time he dies.

He lives through hellish day after day, until he finds another soldier, Sergeant Rita Vrataski, who understands what he can do to fight the enemy. Cage and Vrataski have to take the fight to the aliens, learning more after each repeated encounter.

If they succeed, they will destroy the enemy, and save Earth.

This thrilling action-packed science fiction war story will show you how heroes are made and wars can be won. Against the odds.

I was feeling about sentimental lately, and wrote a very long poem. Forty-four lines, to be exact, and I am still not complete. I thought I’d just share some snippets with y’all. Now, excuse me while I go wallow in my pondering mind.

“If I could go back in time and all the memories revive,
I would.
To relive each moment and its every component.
I would.

…

If I could have sopped all the clocks from their impending slow walk,
I would.
To let all Time stand still and let us do as we will,
I would.

…

If only I were the master of Time, then the things I’d said I’d do,
I would.
But all I have are only “if only.” If only, if only,
I would.

A little original nonsense poem that I wrote a few years ago. I think that the main reason why I wrote this was because I had seen how alcohol can affect one’s inhibition, making him or her act in a way which they would regret later on.

Two men sat on a bench. One gave quite a stench.The other passed out,Before giving the other a clout.When they both came through,They noticed they sat on a bough:While beneath them swam sharks,And the sky was quite dark.“T’is you that have this trickery!”Yelled the one who passed the clout.“No! T’is you that hath done this tom-foolery!”Replied the one who received the clout.As they argued progressively,They didn’t noticeThe big, fat boughywas shrinking with only a space of a hatbetween them and the sea.As the bough grew shorter,The sharks’ eyes grew wider.The men noticed it too lateAnd soon became shark bait.But before they could be finished eaten,They woke up for real.And they found that they had been beaten.Besides them sat a plate of meal.They realised that they sat in a cell;And within, there was a bell.Presuming there would be no harm,They decided to ring the charm.After they had rung,A magistrate appeared.“What dost thou want?”The magistrate enquired.“We demand to know,Why we’re in this pitiful state;Are we to be served on a plate,Or to be released quite soon?”The magistrate departedAnd returned with a scroll,Which he unrolled,And read aloud what it stated.“This two were caughtIn an extreme state of drunkenness,Acting with great punkness,Until they were stopped.They had struggledAnd would have have caused damage;Hence, the bruisesAnd the bandage.The two are to be put in stocks(The one situated two blocks away.)And not to be released till the next day.(Make sure you put locks.)”And, so, the two were in stocks till the morrow,Filled with their sorrow.Thus, we have come, of this tale, the end,Of this two drunken men.

While going through Pilgrim’s Progress, there is a very interesting sentence that Faithful says, “I have heard many cry out against sin in the pulpit, who can yet abide it well enough in the heart, house, and conversation.”

How true is that? How many preachers have committed adultery, theft, and things that should never be associated with a Christian? And, let’s make it personal now, what about YOU? Do you walk the walk and talk the talk, but there is a totally different story in your heart and house? Think about that for awhile.

I have been guilty of that, and still am! It is a constant struggle to always make sure we are doing the right thing. However, we must also remember that we do not do it by our own strength, but through Jesus. And He has promised to uphold us.

Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Isaiah 43:2 “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”

This is just a short sharing. It is intended to make you stop and think. How are you living up to what you are saying? Do you preach or say one thing, but your heart is in total contradiction? Are you – am I – a hypocrite? This actually reminds me of a poem I wrote awhile ago:

At the snap of a finger,Like a wisp,Gone the flame – Never to be seen again.

Like the grass, are the days of man,Here right now,Gone the next – Never to be seen again.

You don’t know when you’d breathe your last.Could be now,Could be later – Never to be seen again.

Will you be ready when your time comes?Will you be ashamed Because you’ve not done your bestTo live up to His name?